Boss Boothroyd in an unenviable position
Northampton Town Football Club v Barnet at Sixfields. Aidy Boothroyd.
Northampton are in a real pickle at the moment.
I was wondering to myself what I’d do if I was in Aidy’s position and it’s a really difficult one.
Does he think about changing the team again? He’s obviously brought new people in but they’ve struggled to get wins.
He’s gone for pace and youth in certain areas and it’s not produced the results he wanted.
They’ve got the performances, apart from on Saturday, but you’d rather be taking 1-0 wins as opposed to putting in good performances and not getting any points.
So does Aidy think about changing it again? If he does, how does he change it? Does he go to the chairman and say ‘I need some experience?’
The only way you’ll get any experience in the position they are in is by paying big money for someone.
Are they prepared to splash the cash on wages? That would be a big question for the chairman to answer. Is he willing to do that?
Or does Aidy look within his squad and use the people that have not been in contention at the moment?
I look at the squad and I look at the players Gary Johnson brought in and yes it didn’t work for him but this is a new manager and a new regime.
Those players could fit in because there’s a lot of experience there. They’ve got Arron Davies, Jake Robinson, Andy Holt and Ryan Gilligan who have played loads of games.
Those lads are tried and tested at league one and two level so it might be that Aidy can use those in the games coming up.
It would save some money and Aidy might have to give the ones that are on two-year contracts a chance. He might say to them ‘I’m going to use you, go out there and do some work for me.’
There are some good, young players currently in the team but maybe they’ve suffered from a lack of experience.
Saido Berahino has scored some good goals but he blows hot and cold, Lewis Young is inexperienced and had time at Burton Albion, who didn’t see enough in him to keep him.
Maybe it’s time for percentage football; bring Holt back in, bring Gilligan back in, use Robinson, stick with Akinfenwa.
I’m sure it’s all going through Aidy’s mind at the moment as to how he can change it.
Can he use what he’s got and if he’s not going to use what he’s got, can he go to the chairman and say ‘we need experience but it’s going to cost us a lot of money to get it’?
If you put yourself in an experienced player’s position at another club, which isn’t bottom of the league – why is that player going to come to Northampton?
I’m afraid the only reason they’d come when the club is bottom of the league is for the money, so it’s in the hands of the chairman. Is he going to put his hand in his pocket for transfer fees and wages?
Otherwise it relies on loans and nine times out of 10, they’re young, inexperienced players who aren’t used to being in this position. It’s going to be a big week and a half left of the January transfer window.
I don’t envy Aidy at the moment.
When you’re playing well and not winning games, it knocks your confidence, big time.
Northampton need a couple of 1-0 wins and a couple of draws and playing absolutely rubbish because the only thing that matters for them at the moment is results.
They’ve played well in recent games but not got a win for their efforts. You think that deserves a bit more when you’re playing well but football’s not like that, you get kicked in the teeth.
When your performance drops like it did on Saturday against Barnet and they beat you, that is really a dagger to the heart.
I don’t envy the manager’s position and I don’t envy the club at the moment.
It’s sad to see them where they are and there’s a lot of work to be done.
We’ll have to see where they are at the end of the season. They’ve still got a chance, they’re not completely out of it and there’s still 19 games to go.
It’s a 19-game season now and third bottom is going to be enough. That’s their target, they’ve got to be aiming to finish above two other teams. If you can get that mind set, you’ve got a chance.
I’m not sure it will just be the three teams that are down there at the moment, Northampton, Dagenham & Redbridge and Plymouth, that will be the ones fighting it out.
Aldershot haven’t been on a great run, AFC Wimbledon were on a poor run but they’ve picked up a little bit.
I’m sure there will be more than three teams involved in the scrap to stay up come the end of the campaign.
You just need to finish third bottom. There’s nothing else to aim for. You’re not going to get in the play-offs, forget about that. It’s just retaining League status because the consequences of going down aren’t great.
Torquay are one of the form teams in the league - and it will be another hugely tough game for the Cobblers this Saturday.
They have got a good mix of a few experienced players in their side and one or two young players but I think they are beatable.
There is a lot of travelling involved but Northampton will prepare properly and they can win.
I can only see positives in the Cobblers staying overnight there and it could be a good thing as they aim to claim a vital victory.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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